Zendir

Power Source

Description

A Power Source is a Physical Object that provides power to a network. It can supply a fixed or dynamic amount of power, making it suitable for modeling solar panels, RTGs, or external power connections. The source can be connected to the Power Bus in series or parallel configurations, supplying voltage and current based on the configured power output.

Example Use Cases

  • Solar Panel Simulation: Model a power source with variable output based on illumination conditions.
  • Battery Charging: Supply current to charge a Battery at a controlled rate.
  • Fixed Power Supply: Represent a constant voltage/power source for circuit analysis.

Module Implementation

The power source contains a Power Node Model and provides power to the network based on user-defined parameters.

Parameters

  • NominalVoltage: The output voltage of the source in Volts. Default is 12 V.
  • NominalPower: The target power to be produced by the source in Watts.
  • PeakPower: Optional maximum power limit in Watts. When set to a non-negative value, output power is clamped to this maximum. A negative value disables limiting.
  • IsActive: Flag to enable or disable the source. When disabled, the source provides no power.
  • ControlCurrent: Flag indicating whether the source controls the output current. Default is true.
  • IsForwardBiased: Flag enabling diode-like behavior to prevent reverse current flow. Default is true.
  • NetPower: The net power supplied to the bus in Watts. Positive values indicate power delivery; negative values indicate absorption.

Internal Components

The power source is modeled using three internal SPICE components: a resistor, a voltage source, and optionally a current source.

The internal resistance represents the source output impedance, with a default value of 20 mΩ. When IsForwardBiased is enabled and the source is not producing power, the resistance is set to a large value () to block reverse current flow, effectively acting as a diode.

The voltage source provides DC voltage equal to NominalVoltage when power is non-zero. When the calculated power is zero, the voltage is set to 0 V.

When ControlCurrent is enabled, the current source sets the DC current according to:

If ControlCurrent is disabled, the source relies on the Power Bus network solver to determine the output current.

Peak Power Limiting

When PeakPower is set to a non-negative value, the output power is clamped each tick:

This is useful for modeling sources with maximum power point constraints.

Assumptions/Limitations

  • The source must be connected to a Power Bus to supply power to other components.
  • When IsForwardBiased is enabled, reverse current flow is blocked when the source is not providing power.
  • The default output impedance of 20 mΩ may cause small voltage drops under high current loads.

Graph View